Abdominoplasty

A flat, taut abdomen is the dream for men and women, but often an unachievable one, particularly if the stomach muscles have become separated or weakened. An abdominoplasty, commonly known as a tummy tuck, is a surgical procedure that aims to remove excess skin and fat and tighten up those muscles.

It is important to realise that this is not a weight loss procedure. An abdominoplasty is only suited to patients who are close to or at their ideal weight, but are looking for a more aesthetically-pleasing appearance to their mid-section.

Mr Horlock aims to make your consultation a calm, non-pressured time for you to explain your issues and wishes in full. Combined with a thorough physical examination, Mr Horlock will then be able to assess whether your expectations from surgery are realistic and achievable.

Depending on your requirements there are a number of different options. Some patients, usually women who have gone through childbirth, might be at their ideal body weight but are unable to tone up the area under the belly button. For these patients, because the muscles have weakened, a mini-tummy tuck is ideal. Post-weight loss surgery patients on the other hand are often left with a massive amount of excess skin. For these patients and others a full abdominoplasty with repositioning of the belly button is the only answer.
Liposuction: For those patients that have small deposits of excess fat, but good skin and muscle laxity, it is possible to remove the fat tissue and reshape the body through liposuction alone.

Mini Abdominoplasty: During the mini-tummy tuck, also known as a partial abdominoplasty, an incision is made across the lower abdomen, fat is removed and the skin stretched down to the incision line and then the excess skin is removed.

Full Abdominoplasty: During a full abdominoplasty the same incision is made across the lower abdomen, another incision releases the belly button and then the skin and tissue is separated from the wall of abdominal muscle. The muscles are tightened and stitched into the new position, before Mr Horlock removes excess fat and skin, repositions your belly button, and then the tightened skin is stitched into place.

Fleur-de-Lys Abdominoplasty: The Fleur-de-Lys abdominoplasty is similar to a full tummy tuck, but an additional incision is also made down the centre of the abdomen.

Total Body Lift: After massive weight loss, you are usually left with sagging skin and lax muscles in many areas of the body, not just the abdomen. To achieve the body shape you want, it may be necessary to have a combination of procedures in the form of a total body lift which will remove excess skin and fat from all areas of the body.

Performed under a general anaesthetic, an abdominoplasty will have a number of potential complications and side effects but Mr Horlock will ensure that you are fully aware of all these before you decide to embark on surgery.

This is an effective surgical procedure which can sometime be the only answer to a smoother, tauter abdomen.

To make an enquiry or for Abdominoplasty costs please fill out the form below and one of the team will be in touch.

Mr Horlock's NHS practice is based in the regional plastics
unit at Salisbury District Hospital. He covers Salisbury,
Southampton and Dorchester. He sees patients in his private
practice at Southampton, Salisbury, Dorchester.